Jan 4, 2004
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI
Associated Press Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) - After finishing with the second-worst shooting percentage in school history in a loss to Penn State on Friday, No. 7 Purdue was badly in need of a confidence boost.
The Boilermakers got it with a 76-63 win over state rival Notre Dame on Sunday.
Shereka Wright had 21 points and nine rebounds to lead four Boilermakers in double figures and Purdue (10-2) bounced back from its first regular-season home loss in 38 games.
"It was good to see," guard Beth Jones said of the solid offensive performance. "We have been struggling, so this gave us some confidence to be able to convert some buckets."
No. 10 Penn State beat Purdue on Friday to snap the streak, which included 31 straight Big Ten wins. Purdue shot just 21 percent in the 47-42 loss.
The Boilermakers looked better against Notre Dame (7-5), especially in the second half. They shot 44 percent for the game and 50 percent in the second half.
Purdue's offensive success was a direct result of tougher defense, Wright said.
"It makes it much easier when we're defending and rebounding to go out and score," she said.
The Boilermakers forced 18 turnovers and held the Fighting Irish to 26 percent shooting in the first half to snap Notre Dame's four-game winning streak.
"We couldn't score," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said. "Defensively, they just really took us out of our game."
Megan Duffy and Le'Tania Severe scored 15 points each for Notre Dame, which shot 36.7 percent for the game against a swarming Purdue defense. Jacqueline Batteast added 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Irish had hoped to use their height advantage in the post to create mismatches, but the smaller Boilermakers proved to be up to the task.
 Erin Lawless and Notre Dame's Crystal Erwin battle for a rebound.  | |
Lindsey Hicks and Emily Heikes combined for 20 points and 14 rebounds to outplay Notre Dame's Batteast and Teresa Borton, who combined for 17 points and 12 boards.
The Boilermakers shot 38 percent in the first half and held the Irish to 26 percent to take a 32-20 lead.
Jones provided the momentum-shifter when she was fouled on a 3-pointer and converted the four-point play with 5:50 to go in the half to give Purdue a 22-14 lead.
"That was a big, big shot in the game," McGraw said. "It gave them great momentum and we were never able to recover."
Heikes had 10 points and 10 rebounds, and Hicks and Jones also scored 10 points each for Purdue.
Wright got off to a slow start, but she scored nine of her points during a 3:30 span of the second half to put away the Irish. She had two layups, two free throws and capped the run with a 3-pointer that gave Purdue a 60-40 lead with 6:37 to play.
"We let Shereka Wright do whatever she wanted," Duffy said.
That doesn't mean Wright had an easy time. The Irish played her physically all game, punishing her underneath the basket and making her earn her points from the free throw line. She did, going 8-of-11.
"They were really trying to be physical with her," Purdue coach Kristy Curry said. "She's a warrior."
Wright, who has been battling chronic back pain in recent weeks, also took stitches under her left eye after being elbowed early in the second half.
"I had to take some stitches because I didn't want a scar on my pretty face," Wright joked.
That kind of lighthearted humor was nonexistent after the disappointing loss to Penn State.
"I was very happy with our character and heart," Curry said. "I'm very proud of our kids for coming back like they did."